Process for making printing-plates.



J. A. H. HATT.

PROCESS FOR MAKING PRINTING PLATES.

APPLICATXON FILED JAN. 17. I912.

1,1 5 1 ,46 l Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. A. H. HATT. PROCESS FOR MAKING PRINTING PLATES.

I APPLICATION FILED JAN. 17. 19l2. v I

A Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 J. A. H. HATT.

PROCESS FOR MAKING PRINTING PLATES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.17,1912.

Patented Aug. 24:, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- STATES 1'" .rosnrn ARTHUR HENRY HATT, on NEW YORK, xi, Assmuon 'ro HUGO xnunsnu, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

' rno'cnss Ion MAKING PRINTING-PLATES;

Application filed January 17, 1912 Serial No. 671,762.

' the following is a specification.

The invention relates to methodsand means for securing exact registration for a plurality of superimposed colors printed by different plates in superimposition upon the impression-receiving surface, and in certainfeatures thereof to securing exact registry between the successive superimposed color prints where there is a plurality of designs carried upon each of the various plates for the respective colors.

The further objects and advantages of the invention will be in part set forth hereinafter and will in part be obvious to those skilled in the art herefrom without detailed description, and the various steps and means by which these objects and advantages are realized are pointed out in the appended claims.

In accordance with certain ,features of the invention, I have especially in mind transferring the designs for the various colors onto a single printing plate by the action of light, and the invention will be described with these features in view, although in certain aspects of the invention it may be useful with other means or methods of transferring the design to the printing plate.

The invention consists in the novel steps, processes, means, combinations and improvements-herein shown and described, and the features of this invention, are clearly defined in the claims over my co-peiiding application of even date Serial Number 671,761.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and forming a part hereof, illustrate the practice of the invention, and certain means'employed in connectiontherewith.

Of the drawings: Figure; 1 illustrates a transparent, or light transmitting carrier sheet for supporting and locating light transmitt ng design sheets which may be attached thereto; Fig. 2 illustrates a printing plate with sensitized surface before the design is applied; Fig. 3' illustrates the first Speclflcation of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

tering marks thereon; Fig. 4 represents the design sheet with the design marks after they are punched and, partially separated; Fig. el is a View of the punched registering mark on an enlarged scale; Fig. 5 shows two such design sheets as are shown in Fig. 4 attached to the transparent light transmitting sheet of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a view of Fig. 5, looking at either the top or bottom edge; Fig. 7 represents the light transmitting sheet. after the exposure of the first design and with the punched out registermg mark separated from the design sheet adherent to the carrier-sheet; Fig. 8 represents the second light transmitting design sheet, that is, the one for the second or some subsequent color; Fig. 9 represents the second light transmitting design sheet with the punches made in the registering marks; Fig. 10 represents two of the second design sheets registered with respect to each other and with respect to those for the first color upon the transparent carrier sheet of Fig. l Fig. 11 shows an edge view of the carrier sheet and design sheets placed upon the printing plate. Fig. 12 represents a form of punch which may be used for the first design sheet; Fig. 13 shows a corresponding punch but just a trifle larger for the succeeding design sheets; and Fig. 14 is a side view of the entire punch.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, and considering the invention as applied to the making of printing plates by impressing upon the light sensitive surface of such a plate a design or designs by the action of light, a light transmitting carriersheet or plate 1, which is usually transparent also, is provided. For convenience one or more registering marks 2 are placed upon this sheet so that successive printing plates may be positioned with respect thereto whereby such plates, when used for the successive color printings of a single subject, will carry their designs in substantial registry with each other, that is, in the same relative position upon the plate. 7 1 In Fig. 2 of the drawings is shown a printing plate 3 having corresponding registering'marks 4: thereon. Where a plurality of plates are used in color printing the registering marks will, of course, be in the same convenience termed the.

design sheet 5 is provided with registering marks 7, which I preferably use in the form of two cross lines, crossing at right angles to each other. The design carrying sheet 5 may be transparent as Well as light transmitting, and may also be of flexible material. Before the design sheet 5 is attached to the light transmitting sheet 1, which I have for carrier sheet, I partially sever the inner portion of the register'ing marks 7, whereby they are left attached to the remainder of the sheet 5, and in exact position with reference thereto, but

easily separable therefrom. This may be done by means of a suitable punch, such as.

is shown in Fig. 12 and indicated by numeral 8. Said punch has a cutting edge 9.

Which is non-continuous, and which I prefer to employ with four cutting parts 10, each slightly less than a quadrant in length, said parts 10 having between them the interrupted parts 11 which do not cut the paper away. Locating fingers 12 may be provided which may be set down on the cross lines of the registeringvmarks 7 to accurately center the punch upon the design sheet with respect to the registering marks. This punch will cut a mark such as is shown in Figs. 4 and 5,

and on an enlarged scale in Fig. 45. The

cuts are shown by reference numeral 13 and the still adherent or non-cut portions 14 still attach the center portion 15 to the body of the sheet. The center portions 15 I make adhesive upon the side toward the carrier sheet 1, so that by slight pressure, or by moistening and pressure they become adherent thereto, thus holding the design sheet 5 firmly in position upon the carrier sheet. The sheet is also temporarily attached at other points. The design sheet 5 may be registered or positioned relatively to the car,-

rier sheet 1 by any suitable marks or devices, a mark similar to the one 7 upon the design sheet may be used, or any other marks as found convenient.

' In Fig. 5 two design sheets 5 are shown positioned and adherent upon the carrier sheet 1. These are also shown in edge view in Fig. 6. These may then be brought into contact with the sensitized surface of the printing plate as shown in Fig. 11, the printing plate being indicated by reference numeral 3. After the exposure of the printing plate, the design sheets 5 may be removed from the carrier sheet 1, but the registering centers 15 will be left adherent in position upon the carrier sheet.

In Fig. 8 is shown a second light transmitting design sheet 20 carrying its design 21 and having the registering marks 22.

These marks are also shown consisting of.

two lines crossing each other at right angles. I cut out the central portion of the register- .a punch 23 having ing marks 22 of an area just a trifie larger than the centers 15 which have been left adherent on the carrier sheet 1, the cut out portions having the same contours, and each preferably a circle. For this purpose I use the centering fingers 12 but having a continuous cutting rim 24. This cutting rimis made a trifle larger than the cutting edge of the first mentioned punch. The second design sheet is then in the condition shown in Fig. 9 with a central portion 25 of the registering devices entirely cut away, but with the ends of the marks or lines 22 left upon the sheet to be registered upon the carrier sheet with the centers of the marks 7 upon the adherent centers 15.

In Fig. 10 two of the second design sheets are shown positioned upon the carrier sheet 1 in exactly the same relation to each other as were the two sheets of the first design as shown by way of example in Fig. 5. It will be understood, of course, that the registering marks 7 and the registering marks 22 are likewise in a definite predetermined relation to each other upon their respective design sheets. It will be understood that the openings 25 fit accurately within the limits of requirements of registration for first-class printing-the centering pieces 15, the space between them being exaggerated in the draw ings for illustrative purposes. The second design sheets are thus in absolute registration each with the other, and each with the sheets for the other colors on the successive plates. After the second design sheets 20 are thus accurately registered they may be attached to the carrier sheet 1 in any suitable manner and then may be impressed upon the sensitive surface of the printing plate, as shown in Fig. 11. This may be repeated with the successive colors and with the plates therefor which are thereby secured in absolute register with each other.

hat I do claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The process of making printing plates for multi-color printing, which comprises placing upon a light transmitting design sheet the design for one color. placing also on said sheet a registering device indefinite relation to said design. positioning the design sheet on a light transmitting carrier sheet, impressing the design while p0- sitioned upon said carrier sheet 'upon the sensitized surface of a printing plate by the action of light, removing the portion of the design sheet bearing the design from the light'transmitting carrier sheet while leaving the registering device positioned upon said carrier sheet, positioning a second design sheet for another color upon said light transmitting carrier sheet by means of said registering device left upon the carrier sheet from said first design sheet, and impressing the design of said second on said sheet a registering device in definite relation to said design positioning the dedesign sheet upon a printing plate by the action of light.

2. The process of making printing plates for multi-color printing, which comprises placing upon a light transmitting design sheet the'design for one color, placing also sign sheet on a light transmitting carrier sheet, impressing the design while positioned upon said sheet upon the sensitized surface of a plate by the action of light, removing the portion of the design sheet bearing the design from the light transmitting. carrier a for multi-color printing, which comprisessheet while leaving the registering device positioned upon said carrier sheet, placing upon a light transmitting design sheet the design for another color, placing also on said design sheet a registering device adapted to coiiperatewith the first mentioned reg, istering device" left positioned upon said carriersheet, positioning said design sheet for said other (second) color upon said light transmitting carrier sheet through the cooperation of the registering devices upon the carrier sheet and upon the design sheet for said other (second) color, and impressing'the design for said other (second) color upon a printing plate by the action of light.

3. The process of making printing plates placing upon a light transmitting carrier sheet a design sheet, placing also on said carrier sheet a registering device in definite relation to said design sheet," impressing said design upon the sensitized surface of a printing plate by the action of light, re-

.moving said design sheet from said transparent carrier sheet but leaving said registering device positioned upon said transparent carrier sheet, placing a second design sheet upon said transparent carrier-sheet through the cooperation of said registering device left-in position upon said carrier sheet, and impressing said second design while so positioned'upon the sensitized sur--' face of a printing plate by the action of 7 light.

I 4. The process of making printing plates for multi-color printing, which comprises placing upon a transparent design sheet a design adapted to be impressed by the action of light, positioning said design sheet upon a light transmitting carrier sheet, impressing said design while so positioned upon the sensitized surface of a printing plate by the action of light, removing the portion of the design sheet bearing the design from said light transmitting carrier sheet but leaving a portion of said transparent design sheet in position upon said sheet a design adapted to be impressed by the action of light, placing upon said design sheet a registering mark in definite relation to said design and partially severing a portion of the design sheet upon which said registering mark is carried, positioning said design sheet upon a light transmitting carrier sheet, and causing said partially severedportion to adhere to the carrier sheet after being so positioned, impressing said design while so positioned upon the sensitized surface of a printing plate, removing said design sheet from a portion of said carrier plate but leaving said partially severed part adherent in position upon said carrier' sheet, placing on said design sheet a registering mark in the same relation to said second design that said first registering mark bears to said first design, severing a portion of the design sheet upon which said registering mark is carried substantially corresponding with the part severed from said first design sheet, positioning said second design sheet upon said carrier sheet through the cooperation of said registering marks which are broughtinto operative relation by means of said severings of the design sheet, and impressing said second I design while so positioned upon the sensitized surface of a printing plate.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH ARTHUR HENRY HATT- Witnesses:

JOHN D. MORGAN, Rosn MENK. 

